180 



FLYING DRAGON. 



native of America; but it seems at present to be 

 unknown to other naturalists ; and is, perhaps, no 

 other than a variety of the preceding ; differing 

 in the circumstances described in the specific cha- 

 racter, and having a more slender neck and body, 

 and a single rather than a triple gular pouch. 



It may not be improper here to add, that all the 

 other animals described and figured in the works 

 of some of the older naturalists, under the name of 

 Dragons, are merely fictitious beings, either artifi- 

 cially composed of the skins of different animals, or 

 made by warping some particular species of the Ray 

 or Skate tribe into a dragon-like shape, by expand- 

 ing and drying the fins in an elevated position, 

 adding the legs of birds, &c. and otherwise dis- 

 guising the animals. Such also are the monstrous 

 representations (to be found in Gesner and Aldro- 

 vandus) of a seven-headed Dragon, with gaping 

 mouths, long body, snake-like necks and tail, and 

 feet resembling those of birds* These deceptions 

 appear to have been formerly practised with some 

 success ; and misled not only the vulgar, but 

 even men of science. Of this a curious example 

 is said to have occurred towards the close of the 

 seventeenth century, and is thus commemorated 

 by Dr. Grainger, from a note of Dr. Zachary 

 Grey, in his edition of Hudibras, vol. 1. p. 125. 



Mr. Smith, of Bedford, observes to me, on the 

 word Dragon, as follows : Mr. Jacob Bobart, bo- 

 tany professor of Oxford, did, about forty years 



* Not, properly speaking, Professor, but rather Superintend ant 

 of the garden. 



